Deputy PM Bytyqi Leaves Press-Conference after Alfa Question

Deputy PM Fatmir Bytyqi left Friday’s press-conference with Dimitar Kovacevski, after the PM had been asked by an Alfa journalist whether, “in the event of unsuccessful presidential elections, due to the high threshold,” he was ready to accept “the President of the country being from DUI”, which, as the journalist added, “would see the whole country in DUI’s hands”.

“The question was absolutely unfair,” Kovacevski answered. According to him, there is an emergence of a type of populism that has in its foundations ethno-nationalism and xenophobia, “which, to me, is a form of modern fascism”.

Kovacevski’s answer and Bytyqi’s decision to walk away were criticised by the Association of Journalists, the Independent Trade Union of Journalists, and the Macedonian Association of Journalists. The following day, the PM said Bytyqi had done the right thing.

On the other hand, VMRO-DPMNE leader Hristijan Mickoski stated that when Bytyqi had agreed to become the Deputy PM, he should have been aware that there would be questions he perhaps didn’t want to hear.

Kovacevski should dismiss Bytyqi right away, according to the opposition leader.